Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Sense Organs

Answer 1

Five organs containing sensory receptors that transform physical energy or information into neural information, causing sensations; brain filters through info to determine what is important vs. that which can be ignored

Question 2

Five Sense Organs

Answer 2

1) Eyes - light waves
2) Ears - sound waves
3) Nose - molecules
4) Tongue - Chemicals
5) Skin - Physical

Question 3

Sensations occur…

Answer 3

When information is transmitted back to the central nervous center

Question 4

Sensation

Answer 4

stimulation of the sense organs with sensory information

Question 5

Perception

Answer 5

when the brain organizes and interprets sensations

Question 6

Psychophysics

Answer 6

study of relation between physical characteristics of stimuli and sensory capabilities; concerned with two types of sensitivity:

1) Absolute Limits - what is… faintest sound, dimmest light detected?
2) Difference of Stimuli - what is… smallest difference between two tones?

Question 7

Absolute Threshold

Answer 7

Designated as lowest intensity at which a stimulus can be detected 50% of the time

Question 8

Cornea

Answer 8

Window of the eye, i.e, it extends outward to capture the light waves bouncing all around in order to bend or direct the waves into the eye
(center bulge)
PROBS: astigmatism (misshapen cornea)

Question 9

Astigmatism

Answer 9

Misshapen cornea; causes light waves to be distorted, causing impaired vision

Question 10

Aqueous Humor

Answer 10

watery fluid that fills the anterior chamber of the eye; nourishes the cornea and the lens
PROBS: glaucoma (excess produced/poor drainage = build-up)

Question 11

Glaucoma

Answer 11

Aqueous humor produced in excess or when drainage problem causes water to build up; intensifies pressure, causing blurred vision

Question 12

Pupil

Answer 12

black center of the eye (dilate in dark, contract in light)

Question 13

Iris

Answer 13

patch of tissue surrounding pupil that gives eye color; (works in conjunction with pupil to regulate amount of light entering eye)

Question 14

Lens

Answer 14

focuses images on the retina by accommodating light; made up of protein fiber; flexible; becomes thicker or flatter depending on object distance
PROBS: cataracts - opaque clouds via radiation; presbyopia - less flexibility

Question 15

Accommodating Light

Answer 15

Extension or flattening of lens

Question 16

Cataracts

Answer 16

Opaque clouds that form over the eyes, caused from extensive exposure to radiation

Question 17

Presbyopia

Answer 17

accumulated protein fiber of lens causes it to become increasingly less flexible

Question 18

Vitreous Humor

Answer 18

clear, thick fluid filing the interior eye chamber ; function: maintain optimum shape of the eye
PROBS: Myopia - near-sightedness; Hyperopia - far-sightedness; Floaters - debris

Question 19

Myopia

Answer 19

horizontally elongated eye; near-sightedness

Question 20

Hyperopia

Answer 20

Vertically elongated eye; causes far-sightedness

Question 21

Floaters

Answer 21

Debris sometimes present within the vitreous humor that blocks the passage of light to the retina

Question 22

Retina

Answer 22

innermost layer of the eye; contains photo-receptor cells (rods and cones)

Question 23

Photo-receptor cells

Answer 23

Rods and cones present in the eye (often the retina)

Question 24

Rods

Answer 24

photo-receptor cell located primarily along the periphery of the retina; aid in dark or dim-light conditions

Question 25

Cones

Answer 25

photo-receptor cell located along the entire retina, however, cluster in the fovea; aid in seeing color and lighted conditions

Question 26

Fovea

Answer 26

contains highest concentration of cones; an object in visual field in a position where light reflects from it onto the fovea will be seen the best

Question 27

When light reaches rods and cones…

Answer 27

It is transformed into neural information; travels to brain via optic nerve

Question 28

Optic Nerve

Answer 28

the bridge, if you will, present at the back of each eye, for neural information to be transmitted to the brain

Question 29

Blind Spot

Answer 29

Point of attachment between eye and optic nerve where no rods and cones are present; thus, no thing detected within this section of visual field

Question 30

Three Component Parts of Ear

Answer 30

1) OUTER - captures sound waves; directs waves through canal to ear drum
2) MIDDLE - ear drum; hammer, anvil, stirrup; Func: amplify sound waves
3) INNER - oval window; cochlea (basilar membrane and organ of Corti)
* **Auditory nerve (bridge to brain)

Question 31

Outer ear

Answer 31

Attached to both sides of head; captures sound waves; directs waves through ear canal to ear drum

Question 32

Ear drum

Answer 32

thin membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves and relays waves further through middle ear and then to inner ear

Question 33

Middle ear

Answer 33

consists of ear drum and hammer, anvil, stirrup - func: vibrating and transmitting sound waves further into ear.
OVERALL FUNC: amplify sound waves

Question 34

Oval window

Answer 34

vibrates in response to stirrup of the middle ear and transmits vibrations to cochlea; helps to balance pressure in inner ear

Question 35

Cochlea

Answer 35

bony tube that contains basilar membrane (coiled inside cochlea) and organ of Corti (attached to basilar membrane)

Question 36

Organ of Corti

Answer 36

contained inside cochlea, attached to the basilar membrane; contains hair-like receptor cells responsible for converting physical sound waves into neural impulses

Question 37

Auditory nerve

Answer 37

a bridge, if you will, in which information is transmitted back to the brain from the ear

Question 38

Neuroses

Answer 38

unresolved psychological issues that have the propensity to influence perception (along with other factors, e.g. beliefs and wishes, emotional needs, etc.)